Hawaii is called the "Melting Pot" of the Pacific because of the large variety of ethnicities that reside or visit the islands. As a result, Hawaii has a cuisine that often blends with those of other countries and has distinct tastes of its own. If you ever travel through Hawaii, don't limit yourself to chain restaurants and fast food joints. Your culinary experience can be as unique as the landscape and culture.

Steps

1

Ask locals or residents where they prefer to eat. Most of them will probably direct you their favorite plate lunch place. Plate lunches come with scoops of rice, a main entrée consisting of a meat or vegetarian alternative, and vegetable/pasta salad. Try items that you are not accustomed to; they will be prepared in ways traditional to Hawaiian custom.

2

Choose local restaurants over national or international names. The most popular local restaurant in Hawaii is Zippy's. "Zip Packs" and chili plates are among the favorite foods. L&L or Rainbow Drive Inn are other popular restaurants. Go to Tropical Taco instead of Taco Bell. Get coffee at a local coffee shop rather than Starbucks. Eat breakfast at Ken's House of Pancakes or Koa Pancake rather than settling for IHOP for your favorite pancakes. Instead of your regular Baskin Robbins, go to Lappert's ice cream.

3

Travel to different towns if you can and explore the local flavors. Drive to the North Shore/Haleiwa for the famous shave ice. Buy produce at a farmer's market instead of going to the supermarket. Have bento instead of a sandwich.

4

Look for local treats, even at national chain stores. Spam musubis can be found at every 7-11 and in most places that sell plate lunches. Look for furikake or mochi with popcorn for a snack. Even McDonald's offers a locally inspired breakfast consisting of rice, eggs, and Portuguese sausage.

5

Try new ways of eating seafood. The most popular party snack is ahi or tako poke. Sashimi and sushi are more popular on the islands than cooked fish. If you don't like seafood, you can stop by a sushi bar where they'll offer non-fish items, such as vegetables or meat, wrapped in the same sushi style. Just because it's Japanese food doesn't mean it won't be prepared in a way unique to the Hawaiian islands!

6

Taste exotic Hawaiian desserts.Haupia (coconut pudding) is a famous dessert in Hawaiian luaus (a chocolate haupia pie is shown here). Go to a local snack shop and try some li hing mui (salty dried plum). You can buy either the seeded or seedless version of the plum. You can also get a powder to dunk goodies (such as gummy worms or gummy bears) in.

7

Have some poi. This treat is made from the taro plant, which was introduced and eaten for several centuries by the first people who arrived in Hawaii for around 400 AD. It remains a favorite among the locals to this day. Look for freshly made poi (or make it yourself by mixing cooked taro root with water) and expect a delicate flavor. If the poi is a few days old, eat it with salted fish or lomi salmon on the side. If you're feeling ambitious, use it to make bread. Though many locals eat poi by itself, few non-locals enjoy it alone. Try it instead as a gravy on kalula pork and cabbage or laulau.

8

Find a Farmers Market and go! On Kauai, a group called Sunshine Market runs many markets. Only small local growers are allowed to sell, and you can get everything from coconuts and fruit to ferns and flowers fresh and at very reasonable prices. Make sure to get there early - there will be a line and stalls sell out quickly.

9

Familiarize yourself with the context of Hawaiian cuisine. Various dishes and crops became integrated into the Hawaiian diet as the population and economy changed. The food you encounter is a result of a unique cultural medley.

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Tips

Don't be afraid to try new things!

Depending where you go, plate lunches cost between $4 USD to $8 USD and musubis are $1.20 USD to $1.90 USD (varieties are chicken katsu, spam, hot dog, and spam/egg).

Bring home some Kona coffee or macadamia chocolates for friends and relatives.

If you don't want macaroni salad in a plate lunch, request "all rice" with your order. Depending on the kind of plate lunch, they'll either omit the mac salad or give you another scoop of rice in place of it.